


Gods Don't Really Need to Sleep, But Everyone Needs a Nap Sometimes

by sequentialsoda



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Hypnos has a magical blanket cape and somehow they all fit comfortably under it, M/M, Napping, Thanatos can also be a bit soft as a treat, by squinting I mean remember what is in what direction in the house, it's fantasy don't worry about how it works, just the kids of house of Hades getting some good rest, no beta we die like my will to live every time I notice a fishing spot just as I leave a chamber, post-first escape spoilers, there's deffo some soft ThanZag in this but mostly it's about the napping, there's some persephonyx if you squint but more on that some other time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:22:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29199060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sequentialsoda/pseuds/sequentialsoda
Summary: My friend mentioned how nice a Hypnos nap pile would be and personally I think the Hades kids deserve a good nap, so the spirit of Hypnos overcame me and I had to give them all a nice nap pile in fic form at least.
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 87





	Gods Don't Really Need to Sleep, But Everyone Needs a Nap Sometimes

Zagreus pulled himself out of the Styx once again, dragging his feet and shaking the blood out of his hair as he got on the stone steps leading out of the pool. So many times he'd already done it and yet it was always just as frustrating. Even though Zag's own body usually always ran hot, culminating in the searing heat of his feet, the coldness of the Styx was so overwhelming that it overruled his own warmth entirely and he ended up shivering in the cool air of the house every time he re-entered. Not that he'd rather be in Asphodel either, but would it hurt his father to keep the house a bit warmer?

As he was griping by himself, still making his way out of the pool to the hall finally, he heard and felt what was about to become his savior in the chilling air. His head snapped up quickly and he found that adorning the wall of the hallway was now a large fireplace, the one he had ordered from the house contractor before his latest departure. There was a warm flame eagerly flickering in it, crackling in an inviting way and spreading warmth around it, immediately drawing Zagreus to it. 

The few shades nearby seemed curious about the new source of heat as well, but even though the hall was quiet and Hades himself was not present, they dared not approach despite also being victims to the coldness of death in the house. Zagreus on the other hand approached eagerly, only to find that he wasn't the first to discover the joys of the fireplace; Hypnos had abandoned his nearby recliner and found a more comfortable spot near the fireplace, where he had curled up under in his heavy cloak, head resting on a plump pillow. Of course Sleep Incarnate was already dozing calmly by the warm fire.

Zagreus approached him, unable to help the smile that rose on his lips when he noticed how comfortable Hypnos seemed to be napping in the warmth. The heat of the fireplace felt blissful as it radiated on Zag's aching and shivering form and he decided that the next run could wait a while. Didn't he as well deserve a little nap and a little respite? He couldn't even remember when he'd last taken a proper break again, as time had passed since he and Than had shared a moment in his room either. And he _was_ tired. Zagreus took a seat by the fire, near Hypnos, who he realized wasn't even floating as usual, but rather was napping on the floor itself, so comfortable in his little cocoon. 

Zagreus looked around him, but seeing that the house was quieter than usual and Hypnos was fast asleep, he decided that no one would mind and leaned the back of his head gingerly on Hypnos's shoulder, immensely pleased by the warmth that Hypnos's lithe form seemed to also radiate on him. It did not take long for Zag's eyelids to start feeling heavy and they began to drop lower and lower, until his eyes closed. He wasn't sure if it was the tiredness, the warmth or if Hypnos had extended his powers to draw him into sleep as well, but he did know it was impossible to resist the tender call of sleep that was now dragging him along from the consciousness. Zagreus shifted himself to a more comfortable position and barely even registered how Hypnos's cloak seemed to shift itself over him as well, despite Hypnos himself seeming to not moving at all in his sleep. 

*****

Thanatos shifted himself from the surface to Underworld just as he was used to doing, landing in a practiced and controlled manner in his usual spot in the house, right in the the entrance hall and just close enough to the desk of Lord Hades that he could immediately look up and report his status to the master of the house. This time as he looked up, mouth already open and ready to speak, he found that lord Hades was away and a brief glance to the side showed that so seemed to be away the queen herself as well. 

Thanatos turned to look to his side, peering into the hallway leading towards Zag's chambers and the lounge, but he found that Mother Night was gone as well, perhaps visiting their primordial ancestor again. On his left, Achilles was gone from the other hall, most likely in Elysium as well to join his beloved. Thanatos's brow furrowed. It was unusual for the house to be so quiet. _Quiet._ It was _too_ quiet he realized and whirled around to face Hypnos's recliner which he found to be empty as well. Thanatos huffed in annoyance. Shirking his duties again, no doubt, he thought to himself.

He approached the recliner to see if the discarded lists on it would give any clue as to what the situation with the shades was. There were very few shades milling the halls, he noted. Perhaps Hypnos had finished his tasks for the day? Now that Ares had calmed down again and the war had died down, combined with Demeter easing the winter on the surface as Persephone had been discovered, there really were less souls to gather and sign in. Thanatos picked up Hypnos's writing tablet, but before he could read it, his ears picked up on very familiar sounds of sleeping. Following the sounds, his eyes were quickly drawn to the side, where he finally discovered a very familiar heap of red near what he now realized was a newly constructed fireplace in the entrance hall. 

He settled down the list and approached, completely ready to tell Hypnos off for slacking off, but his words died in his throat in a helpless croak the moment he was close enough to fully assess the situation. Hypnos was blissfully napping on his side under his cloak in the warmth of the fireplace, his body lying diagonally towards it. Him Thanatos had expected to find there. But much to Thanatos's surprise, Zagreus was leaning his back against Hypnos's quilt-covered body, his head also having lulled back to rest on Hypnos and he was peacefully asleep, the cloak wrapped over his lower half almost protectively. 

Thanatos looked around him, a bit annoyed to find both of them lazing off like this, but also fascinated by the fact that they showed no signs of waking up despite Than nudging Zag's shoulder lightly. At most Zagreus shifted slightly, muttering something in his sleep. Than dismissed his weapons and gauntlet and knelt down next to Zagreus, gently shaking his shoulder with a bit more vigor, but received no answer. He must have been tired, Thanatos thought to himself. Admittedly he had seemed quite ragged when Thanatos had arrived to help-- ah no, had simply run into him in Elysium some time earlier coincidentally. Mesmerized by him, Thanatos shifted his hand, fingers already hovering near Zag's cheek, but suddenly feeling too self-conscious to do anything he left his hand there awkwardly. 

Thanatos realized he was staring. It was rare that he saw Zagreus this peaceful, this still. The ever lively prince was usually always in motion somehow, whether talking or simply moving in some way, gesturing excitedly or shuffling on his feet. Even in their more quiet moments alone, there was always something moving, lips or hands, restlessly roaming. For Thanatos, stillness in Zagreus had come to be associated with that empty feeling that filled his chest to the point of aching whenever Zag's life was spent fully on one of his runs and Thanatos had to lower his lifeless body into the Styx to send him home. That ache that lasted as a heavy burden in his chest until it was released when Zagreus floated back to the house in the Styx and came back to life fully. But there was no such feeling this time and despite his general stillness, Zag's chest was still rising and falling calmly and his mouth occasionally formed incoherent words in his sleep. Signs of life, which put Thanatos at ease. He couldn't help but smile a little. Much as he enjoyed Zag's usual unending liveliness, he found this quieter Zagreus beautiful as well.

Thanatos finally pressed his hand on Zag's cheek and leaned closer to press a soft kiss on his head, allowing himself a moment to linger there. He was so warm, even in his sleep. Thanatos glanced at the fireplace. It was also radiating heat certainly, but it was different than Zag's natural one. The warmth of the fireplace was comfortable and clashed with the ever present coldness that enveloped Thanatos, but it didn't draw him in like Zag's did, nor did feel so satisfying on his skin as Zag's did. Thanatos considered his options. He, unlike his twin, was keen to do his duty properly, but for once he couldn't feel the hum of death that he usually felt when souls were waiting for him. He wasn't urgently required anywhere. Even more importantly he realized that he wasn't certain when he would next see Zag this calmly still. 

Thanatos glanced around him, like a thief making sure he wouldn't be caught, and sat next to Zagreus, shoulder to shoulder, making sure not to put too much weight on Hypnos, but rather leaning into Zag's ever inviting warmth. His back was to the hall that way and he could pretend that the few shades that definitely were there didn't exist for the moment. Thanatos sighed in relief, unsure when he'd last simply relaxed. He could afford a couple of minutes surely. He had worked tirelessly for so long that he could take just a few minutes like that, enjoying the quiet warmth of Zagreus. 

It did not take long for Thanatos's eyes to fall shut completely and his head to loll aside, resting on Zag's chest comfortably. His body fell slack in his sleep, the usual stiffness having been melted away by the warmth and rest. Hypnos once again did not seem to move at all, but somehow his cloak was soon covering Thanatos's body as well and so Hypnos's cloak claimed yet another soul into its gentle care, all three of them dozing calmly now. 

*****

Meg left the lounge. It was so damn quiet in the house. Where the hell was everybody? Zagreus had long since defeated her in Tartarus and should have been back already, even if he had made it to the surface again. But there was none of the usual urgent bustle that he brought along with him into the house as he unwittingly set everyone else into some kind of motion as well with his own unending movement. Thanatos, Nyx and the rulers of the house might have been away on business, but even Hypnos was missing from his spot. Meg turned at the corner of the hall, her eyes immediately landing on the pile near the fireplace. The fireplace itself was another frivolous thing that Zagreus had purchased for who knows what reason. Perhaps just to annoy lord Hades some more, Meg thought.

She wasted no time in making her way to the fireplace, her whip already in hand and sharp words at the tip of her tongue, ready to lash out both of them if necessary. She came to a full stop, however, when she recognized that not only was Hypnos in a heap on the floor with Zag keeping him company in sleep, but even ever serious Thanatos was there, sleeping against Zagreus. Meg's anger flared and she gave Hypnos's back a nudge with her foot. Nothing. She circled around and nudged Zagreus next. Once again, nothing. She glanced at Than, but decided to leave it alone. He was probably just tricked into it by the other two fools. No way he would otherwise slack off like this. 

Meg huffed in annoyance. She could, she realized, simply drag them away from the fire and wake them up. But where would she even take them and was it worth the effort? She glanced at the icy, crimson Styx to the side, but gave up on the idea, still giving Thanatos the benefit of the doubt, which left him undeserving of such a wake-up. Meg's grip on her whip tightened, leather squeaking under her hold. _Fools._

She couldn't just leave them there unsupervised either, she realized next. Someone would have to explain to lord Hades that this is what went on his house while he was away and had left his house in the hands of this useless bunch. Meg sat down sullenly, her back to the three sleeping lads so that she was facing the hallway and could see if and when lord Hades or queen Persephone returned.

It seemed however that the rulers of the house were out on much more time consuming business than Meg had assumed and the useless waiting began to grate on her. She considered returning to her lair in Tartarus, getting ready for the next bout, but glancing behind her she stayed put again. Zag was asleep so he wouldn't be coming around for a friendly battle any time soon and the rest of the souls in Tartarus were in the lovingly torturous hands of Alecto and Tisiphone. She might as well do her duty at the house and wait to report on the sleeping pile of fools behind her.

Minutes continued to stretch on in the night-or-day of the house and eventually Meg decided she could at least be a bit more comfortable waiting, rather than sitting on the uncomfortable floor with her back straight as an arrow. She might be tasked with bringing eternal punishment to everyone, but she didn't have to suffer herself. She leaned back a little to stretch her back, stopping when she realized it had bumped into Hypnos's. She looked over her shoulder again and frowned. Everyone was so calmly asleep, without a single thought to the house or their duties to the souls in their hands. She huffed again, crossed her arms and turned back to the hallway, leaning back in annoyance, purposefully putting just a bit of extra weight on Hypnos from her side, just to see if he would stir from it. Sleep Incarnate did not even budge. Meg on the other hand yawned. She caught herself in the middle of it and snapped her mouth shut. She was there to report them, not join them.

A while longer passed again and Meg realized the warmth and stillness was making her sluggish. She thought to get up, to go stand in the lounge again to keep vigilant, to...? There was nothing to do at the moment, she realized. She clicked her tongue in annoyance and leaned back a bit more, digging her shoulder blades into Hypnos on purpose. But she had self-restraint unlike these lazy boys behind her. If she decided to close her eyes for a couple for minutes, she could do just that and then be back to her own vigilant self right after. She'd been working hard even if she hadn't beaten Zagreus in a while. If anyone deserved a few minutes of rest, it was her. Her eyes closed and she thought for just a fleeting second that the warmth of the fireplace wasn't that bad after all and maybe the sluggishness wasn't terrible either. Was she, for once, relaxing? Maybe Zagreus had had a point in commissioning such a thing. Maybe--

Whatever had been about to follow was lost to her as he consciousness was snapped away and her breaths evened out to join the quiet choir of the other three already comfortably asleep. Somehow, despite Meg being behind his back and the cloak having been folded underneath him, Hypnos's cloak found its was to gently tuck Meg in as well. She shuffled a little, as if making a final attempt to resist the sleep that had claimed her, but all she managed was to settle her head more comfortably against Hypnos and she too was gone.

*****

”--and there is a variety of them too!” Persphone's bright voice exclaimed happily, the voice echoing in the halls.

”How infinitely fascinating,” Nyx responded, her voice still as the night as always, but with the gentle adoration that only Persephone could fully hear in it.

The two stopped by the giant desk of Hades, Persephone looking around her curiously.

”Isn't it more quiet than usual? I know Hades is still out, but where are the others?” she asked.

She noticed then that Nyx's eyes were curiously drawn to a point down the hallway and turned to look, seeing much to her surprise first a leg sticking out from behind Hypnos's recliner. As she stepped back towards the lounge, keeping her eyes on the spot, she realized the leg disappeared under a heavy red quilt. Persephone grasped Nyx by the wrist gently and pulled her along to approach. The leg, she found, belonged to Megaera, who was lying on the floor, leaning on a heap of the same quilt that covered her lap and up to her arms. One arm was relaxed over the quilt and the other was pillowing Meg's head as she slept, reclined against the heap and slightly turned to her side. She _slept_ , Persephone realized. She glanced at Nyx whose eyebrows had also risen slightly in surprise. 

Persephone turned back to the heap and her eyes swept forward, a smile drawing to her face easily when she fully assessed the situation finally. The red heap under Megaera was Hypnos who was lying on the floor under his quilt cloak and Megaera was leaning on him, blissfully asleep. On the other side of Hypnos, facing the roaring flames of the new fireplace was his own son and none other than his beloved Thanatos bundled up together under the same red quilt, that seemed to have accommodated all four of them perfectly. Zagreus was by then sprawled quite well on the floor, head resting on Hypnos still and Thanatos was as still as ever, his head still comfortably on Zag's chest. Hypnos's quilt cloak was draping from Thanatos's shoulder to Zag's lap, where it had bundled under their entwined hands that had found each other even in their sleep.

Persephone was absolutely elated by the sight. She turned to Nyx, quietly gesturing her excitement, so bright that even Nyx smiled a little despite having at first thought to chide her children for setting such a bad example. Persephone came back to Nyx and whispered, ”Look at our children!”

”Yes, I see they have all succumbed to the powers of my youngest,” Nyx responded quietly, but there was no sharp edge of judgement in her words, rather it was a simple statement.

”We should leave them be,” Persephone responded and nodded towards the end of the hall again.

Nyx however made no move yet, her endlessly dark eyes still on the four sleeping young ones. 

"Nyx?"

"It has been... a long time, even in our lives, since I have last seen these children like so. Such quietness, simply existing together peacefully," she spoke slowly, deliberating over her words.

Persephone wasn't sure, but she thought she heard a tinge of nostalgia in her voice, some kind of longing. Perhaps her re-established connection to Chaos had also made her think of her own connection to her children more. Her eyes had softened as well as she continued to hold her unwavering gaze on the younglings, something sparking in the dark depths of her irises.

"They have grown and have had to take on their duties, hard as those duties are sometimes, but they are still those same children that you raised," Persephone said and added more softly then, "I missed these moments in their childhood, but I'm happy that I got to share one with you now."

Nyx's eyes lingered on the four for a while longer, before she nodded to Persephone again, letting the queen link their arms again and pull her away, a happy spring in her step, contrasting the ethereal glide of Nyx herself. They stopped at Hades's desk, exchanged a few more words so quietly that even the shades could not hear them and Persephone pulled Nyx to the left with her, leaving the hall quiet and the younglings to their rest.

*****

As if having been tied together by the same thread of sleep which now was suddenly cut, Thanatos, Zagreus and Meg all started shuffling, yawning and slowly blinking their eyes open at the same time. Thanatos, still sleepy, nuzzled slightly closer to Zag's neck, not fully registering anything else than that Zag's hand pressed into his hair, so he reasonably assumed they were sharing a nice, private moment in the prince's bedchamber.

Zagreus yawned and an easy smile formed on his lips when he saw Thanatos in his arms, cuddled up so close to him without any coaxing. At least he didn't remember there being any. Not that he remembered Thanatos coming to him either. Zag's eyes found the fireplace next and little by little the memory came back to him. He'd returned to the house, seen the fireplace, sat next to Hypnos and now somehow he was comfortably rested and Than was in his arms. His attention snapped into focus fully when he heard another yawn and a content little hum, definitely not Thanatos, but absolutely familiar. Zag turned to look to his side, finding Meg's head near his head from the other side of the quilt heap he was leaning on. Meg's eyes opened slowly and found Zag's. A quiet stare stretched on between them until Meg's eyes quickly narrowed and she jumped up to sit, startling Zag, who immediately went on the defensive.

”Meg? Listen, I don't know anything, okay? I was just--”

”Meg?” Thanatos interrupted, suddenly much more awake.

He shuffled up to sit as well, sleepy hands still clinging to Zagreus on instinct. Than turned to face Meg, then Zagreus and finally Meg again. His hands came off of Zagreus quickly and in a flustered haste he scrambled further away slightly. Meg followed suite more gracefully and pushed up to stand, looming over the other three. Zagreus turned to her, apologetically.

”Listen, Meg, I really--”

”Not a word of this,” Meg snapped, her jaw tight. ”To anyone.”

Before Zagreus could retort anything, she had already vanished down the hall again, no doubt soon waiting for him in Tartarus again. Zagreus sighed and turned to Than then.

”Well, I honestly don't know what happened here, but it's nice to wake up to you always,” he said, smiling an earnest, sweet smile.

Unfortunately Thanatos was still too flustered to respond properly and so, as the reality of the situation and location was becoming completely clear to him, Death Incarnate muttered something incoherently about mortals awaiting and vanished in a flash of green light. Zagreus sighed deeply. The quilt beneath him shuffled and he jumped in alarm, realizing only then that from underneath the quilt peaked a familiar mess of white curls that was moving and finally Hypnos's smiling face peeked out.

”Hi there!” Hypnos greeted.

Zag sighed. 

”Hi. Say, Hypnos, would you care to explain what happened?”

”What do you mean there, Zag?” Hypnos responded, just as cheerfully as ever.

He yawned deeply and shuffled up to sit, curled up in his quilt cape that was still partially draped over Zag's lap as well.

”Did you put us to sleep?” Zagreus asked directly.

”What? Why, I would never use my powers like that on you guys! Thanatos would kill me if I did that. And then bring me back here to kill me again probably!”

”Hypnos...”

”I'm sorry to say that I don't know what you're talking about there, Zag. I was just here having a nice nap by this wonderful fireplace someone built here and then I woke up to you guys shuffling about,” Hypnos insisted. "You all have been working so hard lately, that you must have just fallen asleep as well. "

His voice was airy as ever and Zagreus could never tell if there was just truth behind that tone of voice, but Hypnos didn't seem to be in the mood to admit anything.

”Did you have a good nap?” Hypnos asked then, brightly but far too airily to remove Zag's doubts. 

Zagreus wanted to prod him further to know if he'd done it on purpose, but he found that unlike on his arrival to the house, his body was relaxed, warm and free of aches. The memory of a sleepy Than in his arms also still lingered in his mind and truthfully somehow the knowledge of Meg having joined them in a nap pile brought him immense joy as well. He decided to let it go and pressed a hand on Hypnos's head, ruffling his soft curls happily.

”You know what, Hypnos? I did have a good nap. And I think we all needed one, even if the other two won't admit to it.”

**Author's Note:**

> This game overtook my life in one go and has brought me so much joy that even though I haven't written anything in 800 years or posted any fics before, here we are (because I was too embarrassed to send this to my friends unprompted so now instead it's just here on the internet for anyone to see). 
> 
> I'm a bit rusty on writing, so sorry if this wasn't the greatest and a bit rambly, but hopefully someone got some joy out of this. 
> 
> I'm on [twitter](https://twitter.com/viskialtis) I guess


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